By JADIN REEVES
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is getting a new presence in Hamilton County.
The Carmel City Council has confirmed ICE’s plans to establish an office in Carmel.
News 8 spoke with community members about their concerns. Many told News 8 they are trying to understand what an ICE office will actually mean for their community and their safety.
Mora
“People are terrified right now,” Stuart Mora said. “Even people with legal status are terrified right now because of the racial profiling we are seeing across the country.”
Mora works firsthand helping immigrants in the community as a community organizer. He previously worked in immigration and criminal defense law, and worked as a volunteer to help locals with immigration issues.
“When we talk about immigrants being detained and deported, sometimes we forget that those immigrants have U.S. citizen spouses, siblings and children, ones that are traumatized and have suffered greatly,” he said. “This is a state that values family. What ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are doing is separating families and traumatizing children. It should stop.”
News 8 received a statement from ICE:
ICE will not confirm office locations as our officers are facing a coordinated campaign of violence against them including an 8,000% increase in death threats against them and a 1,300% increase in assaults against them.
Is it really news that when a federal agency hires more personnel that they need more space? Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That’s a 120% increase in our workforce.
William Lamar works in construction and says he works with immigrants daily. He says a lot of his good friends are worried for what the future holds.
“If they commit a crime, that’s one thing,” Lamar said. “But if they are honest, hardworking American citizens just like me, I am an American Citizen. If they are going to work just like me, I don’t have nothing against them … Half of this city right now is being built by Hispanics. I go to these sites with these guys and they are good-hearted, hardworking citizens, just working hard to provide for their families.”
Snyder
Carmel City Council President Matthew Synder confirmed the ICE office was coming to the city, but he could not say when it is opening or why. He also said, “Nothing the city can do at any level.”
This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/plans-for-ice-office-in-carmel-spark-fear-and-uncertainty.